Teacher Cuts Belt Athletics

Jessee, Holt Get Orange Pink Slips

May 29, 1992|By Jeff Babineau of The Sentinel Staff

Last week, 17 folded pieces of paper went into the basket at the Orange County Public Schools Educational Leadership Center - the same number of years Randy Jessee has spent educating and coaching students in Orlando.

When his name was not among the first two drawn, Jessee, who teaches physical education and coaches varsity wrestling at University High School, joined 232 other county teachers who will be without jobs when school begins in August.

Jessee, who is married with four children and will turn 40 in June, does not know what he'll do.

''I'm still in shock,'' Jessee said. ''It's easy for somebody to call or to come up to me and tell me it's going to be OK, but I may not know anything until July or August. I just don't see any way I'll be back at University.

''The kids (students) are devastated. I called a meeting last week when I found out, and I couldn't even talk to them. I had tears in my eyes, and I got up and left.''

Jessee taught at Bishop Moore, a private school, for 15 years and two years ago accepted a job at University when the school opened. As far as seniority, he is regarded in Orange County as a two-year teacher. He was not the only prominent coach to be cut as part of the county's attempt to slash $9.2 million from its budget.

Football coaches Bill Holt (Colonial) and Tim Smith (West Orange) were cut. Kevin Weidecker, a track coach and football assistant at West Orange, was cut. Clyde Kiser, who was to be Cypress Creek's first basketball coach, lost his position when his name, like Jessee's, did not emerge from the basket. Many assistant coaches were cut.

Nearly every school's athletic program was hit by the cuts. At Colonial, Holt said the school could lose 35 coaching positions across the board.

''I've put in a tremendous amount of time and effort with these kids, trying to get this program turned around from ground zero,'' Holt said. ''I made a commitment here. This news wasn't anything that floored me. But it does leave me with a bitter taste and some bad emotions.''

Holt, 46, arrived in Orlando from Virginia in January 1991 with 23 years' teaching experience outside the county. A year ago, his position at Colonial also was cut, but he learned in August he would be re-hired. Again, he has set an Aug. 1 deadline, hoping some positive news breaks before then.

''I want to see this through to the end,'' he said.

West Orange High School's athletic boosters met Wednesday to talk about possible avenues to keep Smith in Winter Garden. West Orange finished 8-3 last fall in Smith's first year, and the season provided a spark for an entire community.

''There's been a positive change in the mood of the students in this school, and it's not just football,'' said Smith, who teaches social studies. ''Job 1 that I lost was not as a coach, but as a teacher, and that's frustrating, because I'm a good teacher.

''I bought a house on this side of town, and I have a 6-month-old daughter. This is tough. If I end up leaving, I think there will be some heat felt from this side of town. ''

In January, Kiser, 33, received the exciting news that he would be Cypress Creek's first basketball coach. Four months later, he finds himself resolved to returning to Texas to find a teaching job. His problem is shared by others.

''You know, when we won the Metro Conference championship this year, University's first Metro title ever, I actually got a note of congratulations from (Gov.) Lawton Chiles,'' Jessee said. ''I kind of feel like sending it back with a little note saying, 'Thanks, but now I don't have a job.' ''